Many years ago when I was just a lass, I loved Bailey's Irish cream. Coming from an Irish-American family in the Chicago area, it was ubiquitous at family gatherings and in the days before I discovered the delights of good wine and single malt whisky, it seemed like heaven in a glass. Sickly sweet with a little punch, yum. I had all but forgotten my obsession after a few years away from the family bosom until my aunt proudly brought out a bottle a while back at a party my mother was throwing. "Look, I brought your favorite!" Well, we all make mistakes when we are young, and this was hardly the worst of mine.

Actually, I still have a lingering liking for it and generally buy a bottle at Christmas out of nostalgia. And I thought of that bottle I bought at Christmas as St. Patrick's day approached and resolved to use it in a cake, a proper St. Patrick's day cake.

Unfortunately, I am not the Domestic Goddess. (Does anyone remember the fantastic frosting job she did on her entry for the Cake Walk edition of Is My Blog Burning? It looked seriously professional.) Despite my best efforts, my cakes always end up with that obviously-home-made look. Perhaps some day I'll take the time to take lessons; in the meantime, I concentrate on the flavor.

This one is a seriously good one flavor-wise. Rich, creamy, chocoloate-y and full of that indefinable Bailey's taste. It has a little Bailey's in the frosting, but not enough to make the kids drunk. But then again, why share when you have a good excuse not to?

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and butter and lightly flour two nine inch cake pans. Put the chocolate to melt over a low heat with the Bailey's and the brown sugar. Stir often to blend to a smooth mixture. In the meantime, cream the butter with the sugar. Add the eggs one by one. Sift the dry ingredients over a piece of waxed paper or another bowl. Add the milk and the dry ingredients gradually to the egg/sugar/butter mixture, alternating wet and dry. Once they are completely incorporated, add the chocolate mixture. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 35 minutes, allow to cool ten minutes in the pans and then turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling.

Whip the cream until it forms lovely peaks. Fold in the powdered sugar and the Baileys. When the cakes are cool, place one flat side up on a cake plate and heap the cream in the center, reserving about half a cup for the frosting. Place the second cake, flat side down on the cream.

Beat the butter with the powdered sugar and the cocoa powder and cream. If it seems a little dry, add a tablespoon of milk. If it seems a little wet, add a little more sugar. Frost the cake.

Garnish with grated bittersweet chocolate and try (lamely) to use a cookie cutter to put a powdered sugar shamrock on the top. I'm not sure I would serve this with Bailey's as you might pass out from the cream and sugar overload. Strong black coffee and maybe a wee Irish whisky would be more appropriate!

I tried this, for my 'Way To Irish' Mother for her birthday. She loves it!

Posted by Elaine on June 8, 2005 at 4:19 PM

I tried this, for my 'Way To Irish' Mother's birthday. It was a hit, and She loves it!

Posted by Elaine on June 8, 2005 at 4:20 PM

As a (South-Side!) Irish Chicagoian with a St. Patrick's day birthday, I'm always looking for unique recipes (beyond corned beef and cabbage) to celebrate the day. My 25th birthday is this Friday, and this cake sounds like the perfect addition to our meal. Thanks for the recipe!

I haven't made this yet but have chosen it to make for my friend's 17th March birthday.

the comments look good and it's the only recipe I could find for a Bailey's cake that didn't have packet mix ingredients - which I never use because of preservatives/additives etc. I'll comment on the result when its made and eaten!

Incidentally it will be my own home made Baileys (with a litre of Jamiesons in it) that it will contain.